


Being Owned

by Thotful_writing



Category: Supernatural
Genre: BDSM, Eventual Smut, F/M, Master/Pet, Ownership
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-12 22:55:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21484204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thotful_writing/pseuds/Thotful_writing
Summary: A deal with Crowley has a time limit, but when she bargains for her own life the parameters of the contract are a little blurred. Ava offers herself to Crowley, her loyalty and obedience, in exchange for her own life. Crowley hesitantly accepts as he doesn't normally adopt humans.
Relationships: Crowley (Supernatural)/Original Female Character(s), Crowley (Supernatural)/You
Comments: 9
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'm re-watching Supernatural and here I am with the realization that I've never written anything for it before. Obviously, I have to write something and obviously it has to be something about being owned by Crowley (because why not?). This is just part one, there will be more to come and I'll add more tags as the story progresses. 
> 
> Let me know what you think!

Her feet were frozen in place as she thought about the events that had led her to this moment; standing before Crowley, the King of Hell, with two Hell hounds on her heels. She learned a little too much from those FBI agents and wished she hadn’t. The demon that possessed her sister was one thing, but when she started to exorcise others, that’s when Crowley took notice.

“You’ve been more trouble than you’re worth.” Crowley raised his hand, his fingers pressing together and ready to snap in a moment’s notice, sending her wherever he wanted.

“Wait,” she felt the need to beg for her life, “please don’t kill me, I-I can work for you.” Ava's voice shook more than her hands and her heart beating louder than ever.

A grin spread across his face as he lowered his hand, “and why would I want an impetuous little twit like you working for me?”

“B-Because I’ll do anything you ask without question.” Pleading for her life wasn’t something she was used to doing, but she really wasn’t ready to die.

He paced around her slowly, the click of his shoes on the hardwood floor syncing with the beat of her heart. She wondered if he was doing it on purpose or if it was purely coincidence, whichever it was it made her feel even more on edge.

“I’ve always wanted a pet,” his eyes moved up and down her body, “and humans are irritatingly loyal.”

“I’ll do anything, please, I don’t want to die.” She hoped begging for her life would touch upon his merciful side, if he had one, but being the king of Hell, it was probably a long shot.

“Your desperation is nauseating,” he stopped in front of her, “at least you’d make a good snack for my hounds when I get tired of you.” He raised his hand again and snapped his fingers before she could say a word in protest.

She opened her eyes to see her surroundings had completely changed, she was in a dark room, dimly lit by several candles with a throne-like chair sitting at the back of the room. Crowley circled around her and headed to the chair, sitting down and looking her over again. He snapped his fingers and she immediately felt the weight of a heavy collar around her neck accompanied by a chain that connected with the foot of his throne. She ran her fingers over the thick leather, and she started to wonder if she’d made the right decision.

“That’s better, can’t have you running off, can we?” He grabbed the chain and tugged it, bringing her closer.

“Sit.” He commanded.

She hesitated for a moment but a harsh tug on the chain brought her to her knees in an instant. She moved to sit beside him on her knees and wondered what plans he had for her.

“Not a very smart pet, are you?” He dropped the chain and sighed in frustration.

“What-“ She was quickly silenced by the sight of him raising his hand and pressing his fingers together.

“You should be seen, not heard.” He lowered his hand and glared at her.

She spent most of her time watching and learning as much as she could about how Crowley ran things. He seemed fairly annoyed with every problem that was brought to him, his response short and quick, usually accompanied by a sarcastic comment. The floor was hard on her knees, but she dared not to ask for a pillow or anything, she knew with the snap of his fingers she could be sent anywhere in an instant or obliterated without a second thought.

“Sir, I have to ask, why do you have a human sitting beside you?” One of the demons asked as they stared at her.

“She’s my pet, disgusting little thing, isn’t she?” He placed his hand on Ava's head.

“Do you think it’s wise to have her here?” He seemed concerned about your presence.

Crowley smirked and patted her head, “do you think it’s wise of him to question the King of Hell, pet?” He looked down at her and waited for a response.

She shook her head, hesitant to speak but he seemed to be waiting for it, “no, sir.”

“Seems my pet is smarter than you and if that’s the case then I have no use for you.” He snapped his fingers and the demon turned into a dark cloud of smoke then disappeared completely.

She stared at the empty place that was once occupied by the demon, realizing just how fragile her life was at the moment and that it hung in the balance of staying on Crowley’s good side.

“Imbeciles, the lot of them,” he exhaled harshly and pinched the bridge of his nose, “do you see what I have to deal with?” He looked down at her as she stared at him.

“You don’t deserve it, sir.” She spoke without hesitation, hoping he liked for his ego to be stroked.

“Maybe you’re not useless after all.” He patted her head again.

Time passed differently there, it seemed to be faster and slower at the same time and she wasn’t sure if it was day or night. All she knew was that she was getting tired and hungry as she sat by his side. She rested her head against the side of his throne, barely brushing against his knee, but still catching his attention.

“I always forget how needy the human body is.” He snapped his fingers and a bowl appeared in front of her with what looked like oatmeal in it.

She glanced up at him before eating, waiting for her queue. He nodded and she dove in face first. She hadn’t eaten in at least 24 hours, or at least that’s what it felt like to her. She used her hands to tilt the bowl towards her face while the oatmeal slid into her mouth. She didn’t care that it was bland or cold, it was food and she was grateful. Before she finished it completely the bowl disappeared from her hands. She looked up to see Crowley’s eyes fixed on her.

“Don’t need you getting spoiled.” He said plainly.

After a little while longer he stood and she perked up, hoping to be able to stretch her legs a little since she’d been sitting down for hours on end.

“I have business elsewhere to attend to, places where pets aren’t allowed,” he grabbed the chain and removed it from the throne, “but don’t worry, I’ll put you somewhere safe.”

He tugged on the chain and let her stand; he would’ve made her crawl, but it would have taken too long. He led her out of the room and down a long hallway, stopping just outside a large wooden door. He produced a key from his pocket and unlocked the door, stepping in and pulling her with him. The room was dark, darker than the other, mostly empty besides a blanket in the floor and a toilet in the corner.

He stood in front of her and removed the chain from her collar, the loss of weight made her feel unbalanced, “you’ll keep this on at all times.” He slipped his finger beneath the leather collar and tugged it gently.

He stared at her for a moment before removing his hand from her collar. He headed towards the door and turned back to her before leaving, “stay.”

She remained standing, temporarily stuck, her mind going in a million different directions as the door closed behind him. There was too much to process and she was too tired to try right now. She walked over to the blanket and sat down on it, taking comfort in the semi-softness as compared to the hard-wooden floors she had been sitting on before. She wondered what the next day would bring and when Crowley would get tired of her and end her life with the harsh snap of his fingers.


	2. Chapter 2

Even with the hard floor beneath her, she was able to fall into a restless sleep. Her mind continued to race through the night. She had bargained for her life, making a deal without knowing the details or fine print.

“Time to get up, pet.” Crowley’s gruff voice woke her up in an instant.

She sat up and rubbed her tired eyes, looking up at him as he stood in the doorway. She wasn’t sure how long she’d slept, if she could even call it sleep. She stayed in the floor as he approached her, though she remained calm on the outside, on the inside she was terrified and waiting for her inevitable end.

“We have a big day ahead of us.” He leaned down and attached the heavy chain to her collar once more.

“What’s going on?” She asked, her voice shaky as worry filled her mind.

“A little show and tell. Up, let’s go.” He tugged the chain, pulling her to her feet.

He led her down the dim hallway, but not towards the throne room like she expected. They took a left and passed a few other rooms until they reached a metal door. He pulled it open and led her inside. She wondered what he was planning for her and if this was the day she would die. The room was much brighter than the previous one’s she’d seen before, a large, communal bathroom from what it looked like. There were several drains in the middle of the room with showerheads jutting up from the floor. She still wasn’t 100% sure where she was, but it looked like it had been abandoned for some time. Dirt and grime had built up between the white tiles, paint on the walls was starting to peel and drop to the floor.

“Here she is, make her decent.” He handed her chain to a demon who inhabited the body of a tall, slender woman.

He turned towards Ava and placed his hand beneath her chin, bringing her gaze up to meet his, “behave and maybe you’ll survive the night.”

Her heart raced as he left her with the woman. She looked over at her and remained silent, not wanting to say anything to hurt her chances of living.

“Let’s take this off.” She reached for the collar and removed it from her neck, letting it fall heavily to the floor with the chain pooling at her feet.

The woman circled her and looked her up and down, “decent might be a stretch.” She commented.

“I’ll never understand his obsession with humans.” She grabbed a rubber band and proceeded to put Ava’s hair into a bun.

She was curious about what she meant, she wondered if Crowley had other humans somewhere else. She glanced around as much as she could but saw no signs of another person, well, human. The woman walked over to the showers and turned one of them on, the water sputtered out before a steady stream flowed.

“Come on, we don’t have a lot of time.” She grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the showers.

She gave Ava no time to hesitate, she grabbed her shirt and pulled it off of her, doing the same with her sweatpants and underwear, tossing them aside. She pushed her beneath the water and handed her a rag and soap.

“Fuck.” She shivered as the cold water washed over her, but she made no move to adjust it.

She understood less and less as the time passed, she cleaned herself and was barely given time to dry off before she was forced into a short, black, A-Line dress. Once she was dressed, the collar was put back around her neck and she readjusted to the weight of it and the chain.

“What’s all of this for?” She finally asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

“Crowley wants to show you off as some kind of trophy, proof that humans can be obedient like house cats.” She led her out of the room.

“Are there others?” She fidgeted with her hands as they walked.

“I wouldn’t worry about that, I’d keep your mouth shut though.”

They entered the throne room to see Crowley waiting for them. She felt the anxiety building in her chest, becoming harder to breathe at the prospect of being paraded in front of other demons as a trophy.

Crowley stood and approached her, taking the chain from the woman and circling Ava, “not bad.” His eyes roamed up and down her body.

“Is that all, sir?” The woman asked, seeming to be in a hurry to get out of his presence.

“Yes, for now.” He waved her away without a second glance.

He stalked around her in a predatory manner, his heels clicking along the concrete floor beneath him. She chewed on her bottom lip nervously as she waited for whatever he had planned next. He finally stopped in front of her and his hand snapped up around her throat, beneath the collar.

“Behave like a good little show dog and I won’t snap your neck where you stand, not one word will be uttered, do you understand?” He tightened his grip around her throat when she didn’t immediately answer him.

She nodded her head quickly, but his grip didn’t relent. He squeezed harder and she felt her airways being cut off even more. She grabbed for his hand, trying to pry his fingers from her throat as she gasped and struggled for air. When her face turned red and slightly purple he finally released her, she choked and reached for her throat as she looked up at him.

“Shall we?” He held out his arm for her to take. She hesitated, every voice in her head telling her not to, but she had no choice.

She linked her arm in his as he grabbed her chain and led her out of the room. She touched her neck again, feeling the bruises already starting to form from his roughness. She glanced at him as they walked, so many questions filled her head, but she dared not ask. They entered a large room that was matching in the dimness of the lighting as the rest of the rooms she had seen. Rows of chairs set out with what she could only assume were other demons sitting and waiting for them to arrive. He led her to the front and sat in a chair that faced the rest of the demons as she remained standing.

“I appreciate you all taking time from your busy schedules to join me here today.” Crowley addressed them with his usual charm.

She kept her gaze on the floor while he talked, looking down at the dirt that almost covered her bare feet. She moved her toes as she faded in and out of listening to him, he seemed to go on forever and she knew she’d have time to tune back in before he stopped. She felt a harsh tug on her chain that almost made her fall over.

“Down.” He demanded with another sharp pull.

She knelt in the floor next to him without a word and hoped that was the only trick she’d have to perform. She looked up at the black eyes that stared back at her and felt uneasy, even more than she had before.

“Somewhat obedient, obviously she’s in need of a little more training.” He glared at her when she looked up at him.

“What purpose does this serve?” A demon from the front row asked.

“I’ll show you.” He motioned to a demon that stood at a door in the back.

The door opened and a human was ushered in, a man, similar in height to her, looking like he’d been there for weeks. He seemed frail and his eyes were dark, he was led in by a chain just like her, but there was no collar, the chain was wrapped around his neck and clearly digging into his skin. He shuffled his feet as he was brought to the front and stopped next to Crowley.

“Can anyone here tell me how a demon is created from a human soul?” Crowley asked.

There were mumbles and low voices that carried through the room, but no one spoke up on their own. Crowley sighed and rolled his eyes.

“Not one of you knows how a demon is created? For fucks sake, you’re all fucking demons.” Crowley all but shouted.

“Time for a little lesson in the birds and bees then. You take a human soul, bring it down to Hell, after long bouts of pain and absolute horrendous torture, you’re left with a soul so corrupted, so destroyed, that there is no longer an ounce of humanity left in the bloody thing, and that’s how you make a demon.”

“What does that have to do with these humans?” Another demon asked.

“It’s like I have to spell everything out for you idiots. We wait years and years for a soul to even come down to Hell before we can torture it and make it into the purest form of evil there is. With these pets, we can start the process early.” Crowley waited for a moment, but the demons seemed to still be lost.

She smiled and laughed a little, realizing they were fairly slow to catch on to what he was talking about. Crowley shot her a quick glare that made her immediately stiffen.

“See this one here,” Crowley gestured to the man next to him, “he’s done, his mind has been cooked, devoid of any humanity. The second he dies he’s going to be ready to embrace demon kind. No more waiting, no more arduous torture for years, trying to break down one measly soul.”

A low rumble of talking erupted as they finally caught on to the process. She couldn’t help but wonder if they were all this dense as humans or if being a demon made them a lose some of their mental capacity.

“So, do we just go get a bunch of humans and start torturing them?” Someone asked and seemed excited by the prospect.

Crowley glanced down at her, “sorry, love, this part’s not for you.” He snapped his fingers and before she could say anything she was back in her room.


	3. Chapter 3

Ava picked at the chain attached to her collar, it was heavy, and she wished he’d removed it before sending her away. After a few minutes she decided to just remove the entire collar, unhooking it in the back and letting it fall heavily to the floor with the chain. She stretched her neck and felt where the collar had been, an indention already forming.

Now that the initial fear and uncertainty had subsided, she felt a little more at ease to explore her surroundings. The room seemed like a hospital room, the window had bars on it and the singular light in the ceiling flickered. She paced the room, the concrete floor was cold on her bare feet. On one of the far walls she saw what looked like scratches, marking days possibly. There were several, at least a hundred or so.

“Previous tenants.” Crowley’s voice startled her and she turned around immediately.

His eyes were drawn to her bare neck, “I thought I was clear about this.” He bent down and grabbed the collar from the floor.

“It was too heavy with the chain.” She spoke up, saying more than she had since they made this deal.

“Here.” He motioned for her. She stepped towards him with a hesitancy.

He held her collar open and she walked into it, letting him fasten it around her neck once more. It felt heavier than normal, but that could have been from taking it off.

“It doesn’t come off unless I take it off, I won’t tell you again.” He warned and removed the chain.

“When does my torture start?” She was impatient, she knew it was coming. Soon she’d look just like the man she saw.

Crowley brushed his knuckle against her cheek, “it’s already begun, love.” He snapped his fingers and in an instant he was gone.

She sighed and settled into her new home, pulling her blanket over to the corner where the scratches were. They gave her a sense of comfort, knowing someone else was there before made her feel a little less alone. She curled up in the corner as the weight of everything came crashing down in the silence of the room. The tears she’d been holding back, started to flow. She sobbed silently at first, not wanting to alert anyone to her current situation, but she couldn’t hold back after a few minutes.

“Fuck-“ she cried.

Her chest ached and she chastised herself for making this decision, she should have taken her chances and let him kill her, maybe she would’ve gone to Heaven. As she cried it became harder to breathe, she unhooked her collar and tossed it across the room, feeling her anger rising at herself and Crowley. She slumped back against the wall and continued to cry, cursing herself.

Ava cried until she had nothing left, her eyes grew heavy and she was exhausted from the way her thoughts seemed to roam free with all of the possibilities. She closed her eyes and laid down in the corner, pulling the blanket around her shoulders and slipping into an exhausted sleep.

She shifted in her sleep and panicked for a moment before she remembered where she was. She opened her eyes and sat up slowly, her eyes still heavy from crying.

“Good nap?” Crowley stood over her and startled her. She remained silent and hugged her knees to her chest.

“See, I came in to check on you, to bring you food, but when I come in, I find you’re not only asleep, but you’re also missing a very vital thing.” He held up her collar on one finger.

“It was heavy, I couldn’t breathe.” She tried to explain herself, but she knew she’d made a mistake by the way his expression held firm.

“Maybe I haven’t made myself clear with you,” he crouched to her level, “I’m in charge here, I call the shots. You bargained for this, sweetheart, and if you’re having second thoughts then I’m sure we can renegotiate the terms of your contract.”

It wasn’t like she hadn’t thought about it, trying to get out of the deal or asking him to just kill her already, but she was still scared of what happens next. She crawled towards him and held her hair back, signaling for him to put the collar back on.

When he reached up to place it around her neck, she lunged at him, knocking him back on the floor and scrambling to her feet, running towards the door. She reached for the handle and swung the door open, running out into the hallway. She glanced down the hallway and had no idea which way to go so she picked one and ran to the right. She reached the end of the hall until suddenly she was back in her room with Crowley leaning back against the wall, his hand raised, and fingers pressed together.

“Welcome back, pet.” He grinned.

She ran for the door again, running out into the hallway and heading in the same direction she had before. And again, she was back in her room with Crowley leaning against the wall.

“I can do this all day.” He yawned and waited for her to run again.

She hesitated, knowing he would just snap her back in a split second. She was breathing heavily and trying to catch her breath when Crowley was on her in an instant. His hand was wrapped around her throat and he slammed her into the nearest wall. His hand squeezed, almost cutting off her airways completely.

“Tell me, should I press a little harder and end this now or are you going to be a good girl?” He growled close to her face.

She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out except a gasp for air. She reached up and clawed at his forearm, trying to loosen his grip. He held onto her a little longer, until her face started to turn red. He released her and she fell to the floor, grasping at her throat and choking for air as her lungs struggled to fill.

“Up.” He demanded without any regard to let her catch her breath.

She stood up slowly and stared at him. She could feel every nerve in her body on edge as she waited for another attack, but it didn’t come. He held her collar up and fastened it back around her throat.

“Last chance, pet.” He warned before leaving her.


	4. Chapter 4

As the days passed, Ava’s fear subsided, but the angst she felt about losing the collar increased. She often found herself waking in a cold sweat, reaching for it to make sure it was still there. She had settled into her role there, being shown off and left alone, those were the only two purposes she had up to this point and it wasn’t a terrible existence. Crowley had been absent more often lately and she was partially grateful, but she also started to look forward to his visits as he was the only interaction with another person she had.

“How’s my pet, today?” He asked from the doorway.

She scrambled to her feet and waited patiently for him to put the chain on her collar. She was desperate for a change of scenery.

“Feeling cooped up, sir.” She answered simply.

“Lucky for you, I have a need of your services today.” He strode towards her and fastened the chain to her collar, his fingers brushing against her throat made a shiver run up her spine. It had been far too long since she’d had any physical interaction.

He held the chain as he led her out of the room. Her bare feet padded along the concrete floor as she walked. As they made their way down the corridor, she wondered what or who was in the other rooms behind the heavy wooden doors. She hadn’t heard many people talking and no screaming either. She fidgeted with her fingers as she walked beside him, her attention torn between walking and trying to look around.

“Curious, pet?” He glanced at her when he noticed her gaze was following each door as they passed.

“What’s in all of these rooms, sir?” She was hesitant to ask.

“Depends on which one, this one is a storage room of sorts, that one is an empty room we use for torture,” he pointed to a black steel door, “and this one is where we keep all of our records.”

“Records, sir?” She looked at him confused.

“Yes, Hell _is_ organized. It’s not all torture and souls, pet.” He smirked.

They entered the throne room and he took a seat, pulling her with him and letting her settle at his feet. She leaned against the leg of the throne and waited as he conducted business.

“What is this?” He asked as one of the demons handed him a clipboard.

“It’s a ledger that details-“

Crowley shook his head, “do I want to sign this or not?” He glanced up at the demon.

“Yes, sir.” He answered without hesitation.

Crowley signed the document and handed it back to him, sighing in frustration. He looked down at Ava who was watching him intensely.

“Something on your mind, pet?”

She considered her words carefully, “do you always sign things without looking?”

The irony of the situation was not lost on either of them. She had signed her contract without thoroughly reading it and if she had she might have noticed some of the more fine print details.

“I don’t always have the time or the patience to read through every paper that comes across my eyes, so I trust certain members of my court to advise me.”

Two demons entered the room, one of them glanced down at her before addressing Crowley, “Sir, we’ve had an issue in locating the Winchester’s.”

She had heard them talk about the Winchester’s several times, but she still didn’t know who they were or why they were tracking them.

“So let me get this straight, your one job, one purpose, is to find the Winchester’s and inform me of their whereabouts, but you’ve _lost_ them?” He almost shouted.

The demon hesitated and stumbled over his words, “well, y-yes, sir, but I’m putting all of my effort into finding them.”

Crowley scoffed, “does that mean the Winchester’s are here then? Because why else would you be standing in front of me about to piss your pants, unless they were bloody here!” Without hesitation Crowley snapped his fingers and the demon dissipated into a cloud of smoke before them.

Crowley turned his attention to the other demon, “you seem like a sensible fellow, so I’ll say this once, I won’t see your face one time unless you have substantial information for me. Understood?” The demon nodded his head frightened and left with a word. Ava shifted next to Crowley, she had questions, but in his current mood she was too afraid to ask him anything.

Time dragged on and Crowley returned her to her room for dinner. She had gotten used to the cold oatmeal and often looked forward to it. She sat in the corner and scratched a mark into the wall to add another day to her time there. The door opened and a demon walked in with her bowl in hand, but this time it was someone different, not the one who usually brought her food. She remained in the corner as he closed the door behind him and stepped towards her.

“So, you’re Crowley’s pet?” His eyes wandered over her as she tried to move back from him, but the wall stopped her.

“No need to be frightened of me, I’m sure he’s done far worse to you than I will.” His eyes flicked black and he dropped the bowl as he grabbed her by her collar and lifted her to her feet.

“Your presence is a mockery to us demons, he cares for you and discards us as he pleases.” He seethed and pushed her against the wall.

“Please,” She managed to choke out as the collar cut into her skin.

“I’m going to save us both a lot of trouble.” He pulled a knife from his pocket.

Her eyes widened, “no, please, I don’t want to die. Please, I-“ Before she could finish pleading he stuck the knife into her stomach slowly, causing her words to get stuck in her throat. She gasped and choked, too in shock to say anything.

“I do hope dinner was-“ Crowley stopped in the doorway when his eyes fell on the events unfolding before him.

Everything was a blur of Crowley’s rage aimed at the demon, grabbing him and pulling him away from her as she slunk down the wall, with the knife still digging into her and blood beginning to pour from the wound. Her hands trembled as her mind raced, she didn’t know whether to pull it out or to leave it in.

Crowley knelt in front of her, “stay with me, love.” As the words left his lips she slipped into unconsciousness, darkness engulfing her.


	5. Chapter 5

Darkness and pain, that’s all she could see or feel. Her muscles were stiff, almost as if she were being restrained, but she felt no chains or straps across her body. She was vaguely aware that she was no longer on the cold concrete floor. Her eyelids fluttered and struggled to open, getting glimpses of light that shone through her lashes before her eyes closed again. Her strength waned and she fell back into a restless sleep.

A faint voice echoed around her and she stirred, gaining some movement in her muscles but they were still stiff and rigid. Her eyelids felt heavy, but she forced them open slowly, she’d been in the dark so long she wanted to know what was going on. Her eyes took a moment to focus and adjust to the brightness.

“W-What-“ Her voice was hoarse and made barely any sound.

“Before you ask, no, you’re not dead, but you came close.” Crowley stood at the end of the bed with his hands in his pockets.

She glanced around the room; it was much nicer than the one she was in before. The bed was huge, the floor was carpeted and there were several antique pieces of furniture. Her eyes settled on Crowley again and her hand immediately snapped up to her neck, feeling for the collar, but finding it missing. Her eyes went wide and for a moment she started to panic at its loss.

“I removed it for the time being, at least until you’re well enough to move on your own again.”

She shifted in the bed and attempted to sit up, but the shooting pain in her abdomen kept her where she was. She pulled the blanket down and lifted her shirt to see a bandage covering her stomach. Her eyes shot up to Crowley, questioning.

“One of my lesser subjects thought he’d be a martyr and remove you from the court. He was under the impression that you were a mockery in some way.” Crowley slowly made his way to the side of the bed.

“Needless to say, he’s been dealt with, or rather, being dealt with.” She knew by his implication the demon was being tortured as you sat there in a soft bed trying not to die.

“Now what?” Her voice was slowly returning.

“You remain here until you’re healed, then you’ll return to your position as my pet.”

She chewed on her lip and her fingers toyed with the outer edges of her bandage. She had more questions, but she kept them to herself, he didn’t seem like he was in the mood to answer anything in depth and she didn’t want to push her luck. He’d saved her life, though she wasn’t certain why and that was one of the main questions hanging in her mind.

The following days were difficult to say the least, she struggled to move more than a few inches by herself and she was utterly bored just sitting in the bed. At least in her last room she was able to walk around and use pieces of rock to scratch into the walls. She sat in the bed all day and needed to do something. Crowley mostly left her alone besides sending a few demons coming in here and there to check on her. He was particular about who was allowed in the room with her and who wasn’t. She found it odd that he was so protective and worried about her dying, but who was she to question the King of Hell?

Boredom got the best of her, so she decided to get out of bed and get some kind of exercise. She sat up slowly and turned her body to the side, sliding her legs over the side of the bed and placing her feet on the ground. She braced herself and started to put some of her weight on her feet as she stood, using the bed for support.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” Crowley’s voice echoed through the room, catching her off guard and making her sit back down on the bed abruptly, which sent a shooting pain through her wound.

She breathed through the pain, “I was just going to walk around a little bit.”

“So, you can fall and further injure yourself? Back in bed.” He waited by the door for her to move into the bed. He wasn’t oblivious to the pain she was feeling, he could tell by her expression and tenseness.

She started to slide herself back up into the bed but stopped, “no.” She said simply and waited for the consequences.

Crowley stepped towards her, furrowing his brow, “it wasn’t a request. Get back in the bed. Now.”

“No.” She started to stand back up again.

Crowley raised his hand and pressed his fingers together, “I can take away the ability to walk completely.”

“Do it then.” She challenged him as she continued to shakily stand up.

She stared at Crowley, who stared right back at her, weighing his options for taking away her ability to walk. He wanted her to remain safe in bed, but she seemed determined to get up. He sighed out of frustration and walked towards her, grabbing her arm and hooking it around his to help her stand more stably. She paused for a moment, the assistance was needed but she the pain that was radiating through her stomach was making her rethink the whole situation. She took a deep breath and shuffled her feet along the floor. She was grateful for the socks she was given that helped her move with a little more ease.

“End of the hall and back.” He was still unsure of her ability to make it very far.

Her feet shuffled along, the sharp ache in her stomach was taking most of her concentration and she wanted to turn back, but she also wanted to keep going.

“When will I get my collar back?” She asked, saying anything to strike up conversation and take her mind off the pain.

“When you’re able to stand upright without assistance.” He glanced at her as they moved slowly.

“Is that when I’ll move back into the other room?”

He hesitated for a moment, “I haven’t decided yet.”

It took longer than it should have for them to make it to the end of the hall, he stopped and helped her turn around but it was too sudden and the pain shot through her, causing her to almost double over and grab onto him. She clutched his forearm as she cried out.

“This is why you should have waited.” Crowley snapped his fingers and she was suddenly back in the bed with him standing beside her.

She felt like she’d failed and ruined her only opportunity to actually get out of the bed. She just didn’t understand any of it and she needed answers.

“Why did you save me? Why not let me die?” She blurted out before she could think.

“We made a deal; you wouldn’t die and in return you’d remain loyal to me.” He answered quickly as if he’d been waiting for her to ask. He headed for the door, but she wasn’t done.

“Why does it matter to you if I’m loyal? You can just make me do whatever you want anyways.”

He sighed and turned back to her, “loyalty is a rarity, darling, especially in Hell.” He disappeared without another word, leaving her there alone again.

Her screams echoed down the hall and fell upon Crowley’s ears as he sat in the throne room. Within an instant he was in her room and looking around for a threat, whatever had evoked such a reaction from her. When he found the room empty, he turned to her, she was still asleep, but had fallen in the floor, obviously a nightmare. He bent down and scooped her up, placing her back in the bed. He covered her up and moved to leave but she grabbed his arm, stopping him.

“Don’t go.” She wasn’t asking him to stay, she needed him to.

“It was just a dream, you’re fine.” He tried to pull away, but she wouldn’t let him.

“Please?” Fear filled her eyes at the thought of being alone.

He let out a frustrated sigh and helped her move over in the bed. He sat down and leaned back against the headboard, waiting for her to fall asleep again. She laid close to him, closer than he wanted her to, but he wasn’t going to move her again.

“Is he dead?” She peered up at him.

“Who?” He furrowed his brow in confusion.

“The demon who attacked me.”

He realized now that was what her nightmare was about, “no, but he can’t hurt you.”

She went silent for a few minutes and he assumed she’d fallen asleep, until she sat up and looked at him.

“I want to see him.” Her request was surprising.

“And why on Earth would you want to do something like that?”

She chewed on her bottom lip nervously, “I need to be sure he can’t hurt me again.”

Crowley considered her request, it wouldn’t be difficult to take her to him, but he wasn’t sure if it was something she needed to see. She seemed to think it would help and maybe it would.

“Get some rest tonight and I’ll take you to see him tomorrow.”

“Promise?” She asked before lying back down.

“Sleep.” He glanced at her and she rested her head on the pillow next to him, scooting a little closer and placing her hand on his leg.


	6. Chapter 6

Ava awoke the next morning alone with vague memories of the nightmare she’d had. She never would have thought that having Crowley around would actually bring her comfort or that she would ask him to stay by her side through the night. He was the only constant in her life at this point and he seemed to care for her safety, at least a little bit.

“Morning, pet.” Crowley spoke from the doorway as he approached her.

“Morning, sir. Are we going to see him?” It was the first thought that entered her mind when she woke up.

“Anything so I don’t have to sit with you all night again.” He held out his hand to help her up.

“Was it _that_ terrible?” She asked as she took his hand.

“It would have been more bearable without the snoring.”

“I don’t snore.” She said as a fact, standing up and letting her body adjust to the dull ache of her wound.

Crowley smirked, “then there must have been a small, growling animal in the room with us last night.”

She gave him a sideways glance, “probably.”

“Do you want to try walking again or should I make the trip a little shorter?” He held up his hand with his fingers pressed together.

“I need to work on getting my strength back.” She looped her arm around his as they made their way out of her room.

Something had changed, she could tell. He hadn’t threatened her with death or paralysis, and he was helping her. It could have been some innate need to watch her every move, to make sure she wasn’t trying to escape, but it didn’t seem that way to her.

He walked cautiously with her, making sure to go slow with each step and help her when he felt like she might be losing her balance. Ava was surprised with how caring he seemed to be and a little wary. She had never heard rumors about his kindness or his compassion, only about his ruthlessness and rage.

“Are there other demons here who hold the same views as he did?” She asked as they turned down another hallway.

“I’m sure he wasn’t alone in his thinking, but no one has come forth as of yet.” Crowley was well aware of the glances and whispers about his pet that went on around the court.

They finally stopped outside a large wooden door with an iron latch on the outside of it. Crowley unlocked the door and opened it, letting her walk in first. She stopped once inside, her eyes settling on a chair in the middle of the room with the demon slumped over in it. There was a large devil’s trap at the door. Crowley appeared in the room next to the demon with the snap of his fingers. She felt her anxiety increasing as her heart beat faster in her chest.

The demon slowly raised his head and his eyes were fixed on her. His face was covered in dried blood, but the wounds that had been inflicted were still apparent, his clothes all but torn from him with several other cuts marring him.

“See? He’s not a threat to anyone anymore.” Crowley tugged on the chains that bound him to the chair.

“Worried about me, sweetheart?” A sickening grin spread across his face as blood dripped from his mouth.

“I just wanted to make sure you were being taken care of.” She couldn’t help the sick feeling she felt, knowing he’d tried to kill her because of the way Crowley treated her. Her hand rested over the wound on her stomach as if she could still feel the blade digging into her.

“Are we done here?” Crowley asked impatiently.

“Still catering to the trash, I see. So soft for the humans.” The demon glanced over to Crowley.

Crowley calmly stepped in front of the demon and grabbed the chain around his throat, “you touched what belonged to me and you’re going to suffer slowly for that.” Crowley growled and released him.

He snapped his fingers and the two of you were back in your room in an instant. She felt dizzy at the sudden change of scenery and it took her a moment to fully realize she was out of the gaze of the demon.

“That’s enough excitement for one day.” He guided her back to the bed.

Before she climbed in, she turned around to face him and did what she never thought she’d do, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. She was thankful that he didn’t let her die and that he wasn’t just going to let the demon get away with hurting her. Crowley’s entire body tensed at the sudden contact but she didn’t move away.

“Thank you.” She said as she rested her head on his shoulder.

He hesitantly placed one of his arms around her, patting her back as he simultaneously tried to end the affection, “you’re welcome. Back in bed.”

She raised her head and stared up at him, she wanted to pull away completely, but she paused. His arm was still wrapped around her as they looked at each other. Ava leaned closer and stopped as her lips ghosted against his, wondering if she should go further. Crowley made the decision for her and pressed his lips to hers. His kiss was gentle but unyielding as she leaned into it. His hand slid up her body and rested on the back of her head as he deepened the kiss, his tongue lapping at her bottom lip as he drew her in. She felt the need to ground herself and grabbed onto him to keep her mind from spinning and her body from melting completely. She had never felt anything like this, nothing even came close to the way his lips felt pressed against hers.

When he finally pulled away, she felt like every nerve in her body had been set on fire, her hands trembled, her heart was about to beat out of her chest. Out of her extensive vocabulary, no words were coming to mind, none that would provide any explanation or relieve the tension from the room.

“That was- that shouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry-“ Crowley crossed a line he never imagined he would. He released her and took a step back, needing to put some physical distance between them.

Logic was telling her it was wrong; he was right, and it never should have happened. But her mind and body were saying something different and she was battling herself on which one to follow. She chewed on her bottom lip before speaking for the first time since the kiss ended.

“I’m not.” The words came out before she could even fully register them. She stepped towards him, closing the distance between them. She placed her hands on his chest and looked up at him, seeing the uncertainty in his expression as he stared back at her.

In an instant his hands were on her again, holding her hips as he kissed her once more. This time it was less forgiving, desperation and need poured into every movement of his lips and she craved it. He stepped forward with her and pushed her back against the bed. She wanted to pull him down with her onto the bed and make every move to take this further but that was where her mind stopped her. It was a place she wasn’t sure if she was ready to go, not with the King of Hell.

He pulled away for a second as if he knew what was running through her mind, “this goes no further, understand?”

She nodded her head and his lips were pressed against hers again without much time for her to catch her breath. Her thoughts were a dizzy array of yes and no, arguing against herself while she gave in to every urge she had.


	7. Chapter 7

Her fingertips grazed her lips where his were pressed just moments before, her mind was spinning out of control with what had just happened. She sat on the edge of the bed trying to get ahold of her thoughts but there were too many things racing around for her to even slow them down a little. Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest as she was simultaneously chastising herself but also missing his touch.

The rest of the night she tried to justify it, that it happened because of her wound, it was somehow making her disoriented. When that explanation didn’t satisfy her, she thought it was just because he was the only person she’d had contact with or talked to. She held that thought down for a few hours until it fell apart. There was one recurring thought that she fought to push back down because she wasn’t ready to accept it as the truth just yet, that she wanted it because she felt a closeness with him, a pull to him.

Sleep basically evaded her and if she did manage to drift off, her dreams were plagued with Crowley, his touch, the kiss, he was inescapable. Her eyes darted to the door each time she heard someone in the hall, the prospect of seeing him again so soon was something that sent a spike of fear and anxiety through her. When the door finally opened and her eyes settled on a demon who wasn’t Crowley, her heart dropped a little, somewhat sad that he wasn’t the one walking in.

“I was sent to check your bandages.” The woman spoke without looking directly at her.

She sat up and pulled the blanket back, “it’s been a little itchy, but the pain is starting to subside.”

She worked without speaking more than a few words, focusing on getting the job done quickly. She redressed the bandages after cleaning around the wound.

“Am I safe to take a shower with these?” She smoothed her hand over the bandages.

“I don’t see why not. They should hold up.” The woman grabbed the supplies she had brought and left without another word.

Ava decided to take full advantage of the private bathroom she had access to in this room, it was far better than the communal one she was using before. She slid out of bed and hoped the shower would help distract her from the thoughts bouncing around in her head.

She flipped the lights on in the bathroom, the dark grey tiles were illuminated by the sconces on the wall. She glanced at the large bathtub, but she knew it was too soon for her to be submerged in water completely. She walked over to the open shower, reaching around the glass door and turning the handle to bring the water pouring out. She was fairly surprised by how modern the bathroom was, especially to be in such a run-down place. She wondered if it had been created for someone else and then the thoughts of who else might have been there started running through her mind. She shook her head to push them out, she had too many things going on to worry about that. She discarded her clothing, being careful as she stretched to pull her shirt over her head. It was still painful moving the muscles in her stomach and stretching them suddenly would probably send her to her knees. She stepped into the shower and the warm water sent a shiver through her body as she adjusted to it. She leaned her head back and let the water flow over her, her thoughts finally silencing as she relaxed into it.

Ava spent more time in the shower than she wanted to, but she needed it. The warmth of the water helped ease some of her stiff muscles and helped her feel a little less weighed down. She was feeling better than she had in a while and made the decision to return to her job as Crowley’s pet. Even if everything from the night before was a complete mistake, she knew she still had to uphold her part of the deal they had made. She took her time in getting dressed, settling on one of the more comfortable looking dresses she had at her disposal. She looked around for the collar, but she couldn’t find it, Crowley must have kept it. Her hand hesitated over the handle on her door, she knew how to get to the throne room from there, but she wasn’t sure who she’d encounter on the way. She took a deep breath and opened the door, stepping out into the hallway and glancing around to see it completely devoid of anyone.

She made her way down the long stretch of hallway, taking a few turns before coming upon the large double doors to the throne room. She could hear voices and knew Crowley must be in there. For a moment she considered turning back, but she pressed on, opening the door and pausing when all eyes turned to her. Crowley glanced up but said nothing, the other demons seated in the room seemed to be staring at her which made her feel like she had made another mistake. She walked in and closed the door behind her, making her way towards the throne. She walked past one of the demons standing before Crowley, feeling his eyes on her as she moved. She made no attempt at saying anything and neither did Crowley. Ava sat down on the floor beside him and tried to calm the nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“Continue, please.” Crowley urged the demon on.

Ava settled at his side and fell into her old routine quickly. Crowley handled his business as usual, paying her no attention. She somewhat preferred it this way, there were no awkward conversations to be had, no heated moments to unravel later.

“I expect to see an increase in deals within the next week then.” Crowley addressed the demon.

A few more meetings and he was growing annoyed with the incessant whining and complaining from everyone who walked in the door. Ava glanced up to see the disinterested look on his face as he listened to another demon going on about another demon taking a deal that was his.

Crowley pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, “I don’t give two shits about who made the deal or who set it up, a deal’s a deal and all that matters is that the soul is collected.”

“But sir-“

“Out. Everyone out. Now.” He shouted, making Ava jump.

The room cleared within seconds and he sat back in his chair, shaking his head and rubbing his forehead. Ava turned slightly and placed her hand on his knee, a small gesture of comfort that didn’t go unnoticed.

“Feeling better today?” He glanced down at her.

“Yes, sir. I took a much-needed shower and thought I’d return to my post.” She smiled slightly as she looked up at him.

“I suppose you’ll need this back, then?” He held up his hand with her collar dangling from one finger. It looked different though, the band was thinner than she remembered, he must have changed it.

Crowley leaned down as she sat up on her knees, “it should be a little lighter now.”

He placed it around her neck and fastened it in the back, the second his fingers grazed against her skin, memories of the night before began to flood her mind. She remembered how it felt to have his hands on her, the way his lips moved against hers. She responded instinctively and leaned closer to him, without putting much thought into the action. His hand rested beneath her chin as his gaze settled on hers, his eyes flitting between hers and her lips. Her hands rested on his knee as she moved closer again, feeling the same pull to him that she had felt the night before.

She could tell he was trying to fight it just as much as she was, but the second his lips touched hers, their will power had dissipated into thin air. His hand rested lightly against the curve of her neck and she melted into him. When his teeth sunk into her bottom lip and tugged slightly, she moaned at the feeling. He finally released her and pulled away, both of them breathless.

“You are proving to be a difficult pet.” He ran his thumb over the small leather collar. She noticed he hadn’t stopped touching her and she hadn’t stopped touching him, even though everything told her to move away.

Ava chewed on her lip anxiously, “is this wrong?” She couldn’t shake the thoughts that were running rampant through her mind.

“Probably on more than one level, especially since it might blur the lines of our deal.”

“What, I mean why is this,” she gestured between them, “happening?”

Crowley sat back a little as he considered her question, as if he hadn’t spent his time pondering the exact same thing.

“Not to let my Freudian show, but you’re probably drawn to me because I remind you of your somewhat absent father and because I’ve now saved your life twice.”

Ava couldn’t say he was wrong, she had always been attracted to a certain type of unavailable man and Crowley had spared her life for the deal and saved her from the demon wo tried to kill her. Maybe she did feel a little indebted or was it protected?

“And you?” The question still stood for why he was even remotely interested in her.

“Entertainment, I suppose. That and you’re something different, a softer presence than what I’m used to.” His words felt a little harsh, but she wasn’t exactly expecting him to profess his undying love for her, and honestly the reason didn’t really matter to either of them.

“Last night you said this wouldn’t go any further, why w-“

A smirk pulled at the corners of his mouth, “does my pet _want_ it to go further?”

Ava felt the blush heating her cheeks, “no, I just- I- is there a reason?”

“This, whatever it is, is complicated enough, don’t you think?”

She nodded her head and shifted at his feet, “I suppose so.”

Before their conversation could continue the door to the throne room opened and two men approached Crowley, hesitating when they saw his closeness to Ava.

Crowley sat back in the throne and looked at them, waiting for whatever it was they had interrupted him about, “if this is another childish complaint, you’ll both be spending the next three-hundred years in the pit.”

The two men looked at each other before they both spoke at the same time, arguing their position on another childish complaint. Crowley shook his head and took an exasperated breath before snapping his fingers and removing them both from the room. Ava assumed he had sent them to the pit.

“Stress relief.” He said simply.

“Sir?” Ava cocked her head to the side and stared up at him.

“Another reason for… _this_.”

He took a moment to clear his mind of the nonsense that was his court, “up, pet.” He commanded without much explanation.

She stood slowly, still being careful of her wound, the pain was dull but still apparent with each movement. She stood and stepped around in front of him. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into his lap, letting her drape her legs over his.

“I think we need to redefine the terms of our deal.” His thumb ran across her bottom lip.


End file.
